Aspen Boulware, the No. 1 player in the class of 2027, set to visit South Carolina softball this week

Gray Collegiate five-star infielder Aspen Boulware, the No. 1 player in the country for the class of 2027, will take her first official visit of the recruiting process Thursday when she makes the short trip over to check out the South Carolina softball program.

Boulware, who stars at shortstop, was recently on campus for the Gamecocks’ summer camp. Now, she’ll get a more in-depth look at second-year head coach Ashley Chastain-Woodard‘s program.

“I went to my first USC camp last week with the new staff, and I really enjoyed it,” Boulware told GamecockCentral. “There’s a lot of girls there that I knew just from like, there was a girl from Lexington, Karley (Shelton), and then Precious Bross. She transferred from Georgia. She played at Irmo.

“And so just being able to have conversations with those girls while I’m in the camp was very nice. I could ask them questions and stuff like that. And so I really like that it was very homey. Whenever we go, they’re saying’s like, ‘Welcome Home,’ and so that really transferred into the camp. But yeah, I really enjoyed it. They let me be myself there, and the team, they’re really nice.”

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The camp experience allowed Boulware to start to get a feel for Chastain-Woodard and assistant Katie Browder as coaches.

“So Coach Ashley, she gave very like mom vibes, I like that,” Boulware said. “She works with mostly the pitchers, so she wouldn’t be like on the field with me or like hitting in the cages with me. But I kind of like that type of feel with her. And then Coach Katie, she’s more hard going. And not like crazy, but I grew up with my dad. He played in NFL. He’s like that. And so I’m used to it and I want to be told what I need to do to fix it. And she kind of gives me that. She gives me instruction, which I like. And so kind of having the two to balance each other is important to me. So I like that about USC.”

Growing up in the Midlands, Boulware has always been familiar with the South Carolina program and certainly took notice of the team’s run last year that finished one out away from the College World Series.

“So, I mean, after I heard the old staff was gone, I was like, Oh USC, hmm,” Boulware said. “And then, like, recently they’re going to Nike and so I was like ohhh. And they definitely did really, really, really well (on the field this year).

“And everybody’s asking the same question, like, what happened? What changed? And stuff like that. And so some of the players that graduated I kind of work with, and so I kind of get their opinion. And then also, while I was at the camp, I was asking some of those girls, and they just kind of (said) the coaches there changed the whole environment, like, the whole environment of the team. They have what works best for them, and so they just brought it into that program and then just, yeah.”

Who is Aspen Boulware?

As the No. 1 player in the class of 2027, according to Softball America/On3, Boulware is also the No. 1 middle infielder in the class and the No. 1 prospect in the state of South Carolina.

The 2024-2025 Gatorade Player of the Year in the state, Boulware had an incredible sophomore year leading Gray to a state title under coach Doug Frye.

Boulware batted .573 with 22 home runs, 67 runs scored, and 44 RBI. She added nine doubles and eight triples, with 34 walks and 26 stolen bases, compiling a .696 on-base percentage and an incredible OPS of 2.379.

Boulware comes from an athletic family, to say the least.

Her mom, the former Jessica van der Linden, was an All-American and one of the most accomplished players in Florida State history.

Those who have followed Palmetto State athletics for years will recognize her dad Michael Boulware and uncle Peter. The two brothers starred at Columbia’s Spring Valley High School before starring at FSU and then in the NFL.

Now, Aspen is making her own path as the youngest member of the 2025 18U USA Junior Women’s National Team and top softball prospect in the country.

Who else is involved?

Boulware wanted to keep her list of favorites private but there were a couple of other schools she confirmed are involved.

She laughs when the FSU questions comes up. Many assume she’ll go there because that’s where her parents went, while others assume the opposite, that she wants to blaze her own path.

Aspen wants to make her own decision but admits there’s a lot to love about the Seminoles.

“They’re very familiar with my family, and it’s really nice to have connections and we can talk about things that I relate to and they relate to, because my mom went there,” Boulware said. “But, yeah, they have a high expectation there. And Lonnie, she’s just taken that program so far, and she’s been there for so long. I mean, she played with my mom, and so I don’t know. That’s one thing my dad has taught me that when I go on these visits to schools, I have to find the things I don’t like and then see if that’s something that’s gonna make or break my decision making.”

And then there’s Oklahoma and head coach Patty Gasso, whom Boulware adores.

“Patty, she’s just amazing. Like, she pushes me so hard. And I told you, I love that challenge,” Boulware said. “And so she’s literally the coach of the Olympic team. She’s like the best there is. And she does so much with her program and she’s faith-based like me. And so that makes things a lot easier. There’s just so many good things. I can say a lot of good things. But yeah, Coach Patty Gasso, she’s like a legend. I look up to her. She’s very inspiring.”

Making a decision

Other than confirming that South Carolina, Florida State, and Oklahoma are heavily involved, Boulware refrained from naming favorites and said that she’s open to all schools that are interested in her. She also doesn’t have a timeline for a decision yet.

She’s currently working through her visits, which will be incredibly important in the decision making process, beginning with South Carolina this week.

What will be important as Boulware narrows her list and ultimately makes a decision?

“I’m a very relational athlete,” Boulware said. “Like, my relationship with my coach matters because I can pick who I’m gonna play for, but I can’t pick who I’m gonna play with. So, the girls I’m gonna play with, there’s gonna be girls I don’t like and there’s gonna be girls that don’t like me.

“But when it comes down to the coaching and coaching staff and who you surround yourself with, that’s very important. So just kind of getting the feel of each of these coaches as I take these visits and how they interact with their players is important to me. I mean, I’m sure there’s a lot of girls getting paid and stuff like that. But you’ve heard the saying, money can’t buy you happiness. Location and stuff like that, I guess, is very important to me.”

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